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Rail strikes and Ukrainian flags: Britain does Eurovision for the first time in 25 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

For the second weekend running, the U.K. is preparing to put on a global event full of pageantry, eccentric costumes and exuberant performances. Except this one — the 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest — crowns a winner democratically via the public.While the event will be rich with British traditions, from bouts of inclement weather to national train disruptions, there also will be a distinctly blue and gold tinge to proceedings. The U.K., last year’s runner’s up, is hosting Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine, which won the 2022 contest but cannot hold the event amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.Russia, for its part, remains banned from participating. That Britain nearly won the 2022 edition came as quite a shock, given the country’s recent — ahem — unique approach to European diplomacy. Nonetheless, finish second it did, and with victors Ukraine unable to host, as is tradition for the winner, U.K. cities vied to hold the event. Organizers chose Liverpool, a city...

Tatum’s 4th-quarter 3s push Celtics past 76ers 95-86; force Game 7

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jayson Tatum missed his first six 3-pointers before he drilled two straight clutch ones late in the game that pushed the Celtics past the Philadelphia 76ers 95-86 on Thursday night to send the Eastern Conference semifinals back to Boston for Game 7.The defending conference champs are in familiar territory. Boston trailed 3-2 last season in the second round against Milwaukee before it won Game 6 on the road and the clincher at home.Game 7 is Sunday.Tatum, who averaged 30.1 points in the regular season, never stopped shooting even as the misses kept coming. He missed 14 of his first 15 shots overall from the floor and his ineffectiveness was a key reason the Celtics couldn’t hold a 16-point lead.With a shot at their first conference final since 2001 at stake, the Sixers slogged through the first half before Joel Embiid flashed his MVP form and rallied the Sixers to a fourth-quarter lead.Tyrese Maxey hit two free throws with 5:25 left for an 83-81 edge.And that was ...

Back Bay residents mark end of COVID emergency with encore of pandemic ‘Sweet Caroline’ performances

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

Back Bay residents marked the end of state and federal COVID-19 emergencies Thursday with an encore performance of a pandemic tradition. Three years ago, residents sang “Sweet Caroline” nearly every night in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, they gathered once again on Beacon Street.The tradition began in March of 2020 with Mike DiCarlo belting a Boston favorite from his balcony. “Originally, when the health emergency came up, I was inspired by these people who were singing out the window, in Venice in particular,” DiCarlo said this week. “I said ‘Jeez, that’s really fun. I wish someone would do that here in the Back Bay.” “I said ‘Well, might as well be me,’” DiCarlo continued. DiCarlo took some liberties with the classic Neil Diamond song, rewriting the lyrics to fit the times. “Hands not touching hands,” went one new line. People in the neighborhood caught on. “[T]here were five people,” DiCarlo said. “And then there w...

Drew Rasmussen stifles Yankees again in one-sided Rays win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

The Rays’ pitching ain’t the A’s pitching.The Yankees quickly realized that during Thursday’s series-opener, as Tampa Bay came an out away from shutting the Bombers out at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees had just spent three days battering an awful Oakland club and were looking forward to a four-game rematch with the first-place Rays, but Drew Rasmussen had no issues in an 8-2 win for Tampa Bay.The right-handed Rasmussen blanked the Yankees for the second time in less than a week, twirling seven economical innings while walking none and striking out seven over 76 pitches. The Yanks made plenty of hard contact against Rasmussen, but two Jake Bauers singles were all they had to show for it.After 21 career innings against the Yankees, Rasmussen has yet to surrender a run to the division rival.The Yankees’ starter, Domingo German, offered a valiant effort himself, allowing three hits, two runs, one earned, three walks and three strikeouts over 5.2 innings and 8...

Jayson Tatum delivers late as Celtics beat Sixers, force Game 7

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — For 44 minutes on Thursday night, Jayson Tatum was lost.The Celtics star was rattled. In one of the biggest games of his life, Tatum looked like he was about to throw Boston’s season away. Literally. Turnovers mounted. He couldn’t buy a bucket.Until he could.With the Celtics’ seismic championship expectations seemingly weighing on his shoulders, Tatum came through when he was desperately needed. He missed 14 of his first 15 shots, but kept shooting. And he willed the Celtics like he’s done so many times, making four 3-pointers in the final four minutes. The Celtics committed 17 turnovers, they blew a 16-point lead. Their season looked like it was crumbling. But Tatum saved their season, pushing them to 95-86 victory in Game 6.There will be a Game 7 on Sunday at TD Garden. Somehow, someway.The Celtics trailed by two with less than five minutes to play when Tatum found life. He hit his first 3-pointer of the game to give Boston the lead, then after Joel Embiid’s shot ri...

Brady Dwyer, Newton North knock off Natick in volleyball

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

NATICK — Newton North boys volleyball coach Nile Fox wasn’t even sure at the beginning of the season if he would carry sophomore Brady Dwyer on varsity.But when missing star setter Tyler Randall for a second straight game due to injury Thursday night, it was Dwyer’s name the Tigers loudly chanted following their biggest win yet this season.With 20 assists and three signature blocks, Dwyer helped lead a scrappy Newton North effort to edge out a 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17) win over Natick as revenge for a loss to the RedHawks earlier in the year. He paired with fellow setter Joaquin Cuevas-Torres (21 assists, ace) to feed star hitters Simon Vardeh (21 kills, two blocks) and Adam Christianson (13 kills), while a large cast of characters similarly stepped up to overcome the fellow Div. 1 title contender.Considering an hour-late arrival due to bus issues contributed to slow starts in each of the first two sets, Fox was thoroughly impressed with his team.Especially Dwyer.“I think Tyl...

Chris Stapleton wins top honor at Academy of Country Music Awards; Lainey Wilson triumphs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Chris Stapleton topped the Academy of Country Music Awards, winning entertainer of the year on a night that saw HARDY, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson win multiple honors.“I am shocked, truly,” Stapleton said. “By any imaginable metric, I don’t deserve this. … I’ve never thought of myself as somebody who would win this award.”He dedicated the award to his children at home, saying they sacrifice a lot of time with him and his wife because of his career.Wilson was one of the night’s biggest stars, performing, collecting awards and delivering heartfelt speeches. She won album of the year for “Bell Bottom Country,” accepting the honor slightly breathless after performing her song “Grease.”Wilson called the album a “labor of love” and said she wrote 300 songs during the pandemic. She said people often tell her how much the album means to their lives, and she said writing them “saved mine.”Wilson won female artist of the year, and co-host Dolly Parton handed her the t...

Supreme Court backs California law for more space for pigs. Producers predict pricier pork, bacon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday backed a California animal cruelty law that requires more space for breeding pigs, a ruling the pork industry says will lead to higher costs nationwide for pork chops and bacon.“While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in an opinion for the court. Industry groups have said the law would mean expensive, industry-wide changes even though a majority of the farms where pigs are raised are not in California, the nation’s most populous state, but instead in the Midwest and North Carolina.A majority of the high court agreed that lower courts had correctly dismissed pork producers’ challenge to the law. Both liberal and conservative justices were a part of the majority, though they were not united in their reasoning.Gorsuch said the pork producers challenging the law were asking the justices to “fashion two new and more aggr...

Don’t miss this week: Jonas Brothers, Muppets, Zelda and a Bennifer double feature

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

New music from the Jonas Brothers, a double feature of Ben Affleck/Jennifer Lopez films and the latest installment in the highly popular Zelda games are among the entertainment titles coming to a device near you this weeke Associated Press’ entertainment journalists break down what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— After successfully doing the rounds in theaters, “Air” is finally making its debut on Prime Video on Friday. The film, directed by Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery, tells the origin story of the Air Jordan sneaker and how Nike’s then-struggling basketball department defied the odds and signed rookie Michael Jordan in an unprecedented deal. It’s the first time Affleck has directed his pal Matt Damon, who plays Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, and it’s the first film from their joint company Artists Equity. They brought in a starry cast, including Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mother, De...

Balloon release held at vigil for CPD officer Aréanah Preston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:14:21 GMT

CHICAGO -- A balloon release vigil was held on Thursday to honor the life of Chicago Police Office Aréanah Preston, who was shot and killed over the weekend.Hundreds joined Preston's family and friends at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood Thursday evening."Aréanah always saw the best in everything," Dionne Mhoon, Preston's mother said. "She had so many goals (and) dreams. She was a super kid." ‘It was my work’: Teen bragged to friend after officer Aréanah Preston’s slaying, prosecutors allege During Thursday's vigil for Officer Preston, her mother shared how deeply hurt she is, but said she has plans to meet with leaders in Washington D.C. to make changes, so that her daughter's murder is not in vain.Preston was set to graduate with a master’s degree in Law from Loyola University Chicago on Saturday, May 13 — with dreams one day of joining the FBI to further a career investigating sex crimes, according to Loyola Law Pro...